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Post by jhudson5150 on Jan 11, 2010 4:20:01 GMT -5
Ok, I know I'm new here. Heck, this is my first post. So I'd like to start out by saying hello, and I've been here NUMEROUS times before, so I guess I can say thank you as well.
I stumbled across the random hero mod, which I've ALWAYS wanted to try out. I finally got two switches and have been up for the last... goodness 5 hours now trying to get it to work. With no luck. I need some serious help. Work in a few hours, then band practice right afterwards, so I'm trying to get it done before I get to work.
So here's what I've got.
I installed my two switches and wired everything up to what I thought was correct. I even checked this forum to find the schematic at 1728.com or whatever it is.
Here's where I'm running into trouble.
I (and i'm sure some other beginer to intermediate wiring guys out there, as well) just would like a more detailed explanation of what's going on. One problem is that I have a cheap 5-way... the one where all the poles are in a line. That's throwing me off a bit, what with the schematic i found only showing 4 poles. And i know it's just one side, but even that doesnt really match up to well with what ive got. The other part is the DPDT switch that goes to the hot/output and ground (I think?!) Thsi has got me lost.
If i've confused anyone I apologize. BUT if anyone can help out... You would make my new year. For real.
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Post by jhudson5150 on Jan 11, 2010 4:25:12 GMT -5
I guess I should add that it's a basic stratocaster. No craziness... other than this wiring mod. 1 Vol, 2 Tone, 3 Single coils.
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Post by newey on Jan 11, 2010 6:42:03 GMT -5
JH5150- Hello and Welcome! The drawing you are working from (from wolf's site at 1728.com) shows only one half of a traditional Fender 5-way switch, since only one pole is being used for this mod. As shown on the diagram, the "common" or "pole" lug of the switch is spaced a bit further away than the other lugs. The traditional Fender switch has a pole on each side of the switch, you can use either side, doesn't matter so long as you get the pole and the numbered lugs right. Your guitar has the import-style 5-way switch, which has all the lugs in a line, with the 2 common lugs in the middle. Not all import switches are identical, however. Some have only a single common lug (7 lugs total). The difference in the wiring of the 2 types of switches is explained here: guitarnuts2.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=reference&action=display&thread=3203Note, however, the correction posted at the top of the picture as to the lug assignment. If your switch looks like the one shown, you can translate the wiring from the diagram to your switch- compare what you have to the picture, and then to the std Fender 5-way shown next to it. You'll still be using only 1/2 of the lugs. So that we're all using the same terminology, those are "terminals" or "lugs" (where the connections are made). The switch only has 2 "poles", one per side on the std 5-way, one per each 1/2 on yours. Each "pole" of a multi-pole switch is like a separate switch in and of itself. I don't quite understand the problem you're having with the DPDT switch. There are several types of DPDT switches as well; the RH diagram uses what it called a DPDT "on-on" switch, it has six lugs, 3 per pole. The 2 center ones are the common lugs for each pole. Wolf's site also has a good discussion of the operation of those switches- page back from the RH diagram to get to it there. As to how you get it all done before practice, that we can't help you with. Hopefully you have a spare guitar . . . EDIT: As to your confusion re: the DPDT switch, understand that wolf's diagram only shows this mod as a module, not as a complete wiring diagram. The V and T contols as well as the output jack are not shown, since the wiring to these is understood to be the same. In a Strat-type guitar, the hot output goes to one terminal on the volume pot, the ground connection goes to wherever the rest of the grounds are located, usually the back of a pot. Find the wire from your current 5-way switch to the volume pot; it will be coming from one of the common terminals on the 5-way switch and will connect to one side of the V pot. That's where the "hot" output goes in your new scheme as well. The center terminal of the Vol pot then goes to the tip of the output jack. Actually, either side terminal of the V pot can be used as the "hot" (the opposite one is grounded and should already be so on your guitar.) But if you use the opposite one, the control will work "backwards", as in a lefty guitar.
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Post by jhudson5150 on Jan 11, 2010 7:18:58 GMT -5
hmm... i may have made a VERY rookie mistake here. I was under the impression that the wolf diagram showed one on/on switch, and one on/on/on switch. That's what I'm using at the moment. The one with 3 lugs is the on/on, the one with 6 lugs is the on/on/on. Is this what's giving me grief?
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Post by jhudson5150 on Jan 11, 2010 7:22:39 GMT -5
Yup... just checked a YouTube video I found that clearly show's it's using two on/on switches. ( ) My mistake. Geez... Thank you so much for the help, though. I really appreciate it.
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Post by wolf on Jan 11, 2010 14:27:11 GMT -5
Hi jhudson5150I'm glad you finally solved that wiring problem and yes, www.1728.com/guitar3.htm is a page from my website. I decided to check back on that webpage to see if I specifically mentioned what those switches are. The final sentence in that paragraph states: "Switches S1 and S2 have no center position." If you think I should reword that or if something needs to be clearer, just let me know. And welcome to Guitar Nuts™.
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Post by RandomHero on Jan 11, 2010 19:54:25 GMT -5
It's nice to see my brainchild from so many years back still getting some attention!
I'm glad you figured it out, jhudson. It's been so long since I took a soldering iron to an electric (much less even owned one) that it would take some considerable brain-racking on my part to figure out what I was thinking when I drew that diagram. If I recall, I was so fond of it because it kinda "cheats" to get the desired result...
I hope you like it. =)
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